Is the obesity epidemic overstated?

[twistsol]

I travel full time and thus eat out a lot. The portions in most restaurants have gone from large to huge to insane. Not to single them out, but just as an example, I ordered meatloaf at the Cheesecake Factory and the platter they brought would have made a meal for my wife, three girls and me. Add that to the "clean your plate" mantra mom drilled into us all and you have a recipe for obesity.

In the last year I've started going to the grocery store and pick up some yogurt, fish, veggies and fruit and keep it in the fridge at the hotel. I always choose hotels with a kitchen now. I've lost 40 pounds in the last year and a half, 230 to 190, and have about 20 more to go. I've also gone from spending an average of $200/week on meals to $30-40 / week

It's not that hard and I still eat the bacon and eggs at the free hotel breakfast nearly every morning and have a bag of Orville's full butter full fat nuclear popcorn every night.

[Russianwolf]

I'm right at 6 foot (okay 5' 11.5") and used to weigh about 185-190lbs. Then I turned 30 and got married. I'm pushing 215 now. I know I'm a little chubby, but I wouldn't consider myself fat. And I have a mental barrier that I simply won't allow myself to cross. The 40 inch waistline. 38's are bad enough (considering I used to wear 32's) but I simply won't allow myself to buy 40's. Ain't happening, no way. I'll stop eating for a week if the 38's get too tight.

[jking]

I travel full time and thus eat out a lot. The portions in most restaurants have gone from large to huge to insane. Not to single them out, but just as an example, I ordered meatloaf at the Cheesecake Factory and the platter they brought would have made a meal for my wife, three girls and me. Add that to the "clean your plate" mantra mom drilled into us all and you have a recipe for obesity.

You've hit on another cause right there. Take a look at how plate sizes have grown over the years. A full plate today means a lot more food because most of the plates in restaurants are larger as are many of the plates in your kitchen cupboard. Combine that with the poor meal planning most of us do & you get a nation of fat people.

[LinuxRandal]

One of the conversations I used to have with several neighbors was differences between their childhoods and today's. (going back 100+ years now)
One used to eat everything they grew, and a Sunday dinner would entail a fresh chicken fried in lard. Beef and pork were as an animal was slaughtered, and you tended to use those up before getting another. (meat wasn't every meal)
The other (Korean war vet, medic for age), talked about how he and one of his former medical teachers, had talked about rising cancer rates, and chemicals in everything.
I do see a difference between the exercise we get and what they got, getting, growing their own foods. I also have seen a difference in the foods they eat/ate, and the chemically processed foods that are sold to use, some in precooked form (lot's of fast food), to heat and serve. When my house had its driveway put in (1935), you could walk around the block to one (also house size) butchershop, half to 3/4 to one of three grocery stores and get dinner, fresh, to put in your icebox, or for dinner.
Guess who normally did that? The stay at home mom. It was/is a job, just not the same jobs as my generation parents had.
Stores enlarged, and moved to "central" locations. Rail cars were replaced by bus, which did not expand their routes to include those new locations. Other factors went up and other human factors changed the equations (women's lib, etc). It isn't politically correct, but when you have two working adults, your costs do go up on issues like child care, taxes, etc......
Those also helped contribute to the rise and expansion of the fast food chains along with tv (aka the babysitter).
I could include lots of other factors.

It isn't one thing, but a cumulation of items AND events, as well as PERSONAL responsibility to recognize and combat those factors.
So many people want to live with a blind eye, and blame others.
Then you can go the other extreme, and catch those without any common sense. Like the ones who tried to enforce the BMI across the board with a police department. One of the ones who was "required" to lose weight, was too heavy for his size. I don't remember all the specifics, but he was 6'3, had been a probody builder, and was 3% body fat. Too heavy for his size due to muscle mass, was able to perform all his duties, and outperform others, yet was facing possible actions, if he didn't lose weight.

[cgallery]

I'm right at 6 foot (okay 5' 11.5") and used to weigh about 185-190lbs. Then I turned 30 and got married. I'm pushing 215 now. I know I'm a little chubby, but I wouldn't consider myself fat. And I have a mental barrier that I simply won't allow myself to cross. The 40 inch waistline. 38's are bad enough (considering I used to wear 32's) but I simply won't allow myself to buy 40's. Ain't happening, no way. I'll stop eating for a week if the 38's get too tight.

Well, if you are 5'11", you're obese (BMI 30 and above). If you're 5'11.5", you can go up to 218 pounds before you're obese.

You still have time to lose weight before becoming a statistic.

[germdoc]

You can be technically overweight and still be healthy. If you're 5'10", weight 200 lbs., have a great cholesterol, and run 20 miles a week you've got little to worry about. On the other hand...

If you ever saw some of my patients, like one guy who tips the scale at 450 # and has had intractable ulcers of the lower legs for over 4 years, or my patient who needed a knee replacement at age 50 which then got infected--it took a special lift to move her from her bariatric wheelchair to her "double wide" bed--you would swear off sweets forever.

[Mrs. Wallnut]

Maybe I'm wrong, but I blame fast foods, video games, and working "Moms" for the problem. How many women actually cook good, healthy meals as the norm?

Ed

Ed, now I won't disagree with you on the video games and fast food, but the working moms part I had a problem with. I work almost 40 hours a week, a graveyard shift so that I can be home for my 11 year old twins when they get home from school and for 21 month old Thomas so he doesn't have to go to daycare. I also will make dinner for everyone and I make lunches for school. When I get off in the mornings and Mark has to work I hurry home so that I can make his breakfast and lunch and I make sure that I have things for dinner.

Now I know that you weren't directing that at me or any other woman on the forum I just took it wrong because the day that I read that I was given some bad news about an ex co-worker of mine. And I got to thinking about it and she worked and would go home and cook for her husband and son that were waiting for her.

I am sorry if I have offended anyone or mad any one mad but I just had to get that off my chest. If the mods want to delete this they can.

[jking]

Ed, now I won't disagree with you on the video games and fast food, but the working moms part I had a problem with. I work almost 40 hours a week, a graveyard shift so that I can be home for my 11 year old twins when they get home from school and for 21 month old Thomas so he doesn't have to go to daycare. I also will make dinner for everyone and I make lunches for school. When I get off in the mornings and Mark has to work I hurry home so that I can make his breakfast and lunch and I make sure that I have things for dinner.

Now I know that you weren't directing that at me or any other woman on the forum I just took it wrong because the day that I read that I was given some bad news about an ex co-worker of mine. And I got to thinking about it and she worked and would go home and cook for her husband and son that were waiting for her.

I am sorry if I have offended anyone or mad any one mad but I just had to get that off my chest. If the mods want to delete this they can.

I don't think you need to apologize for anything. I think Ed was probably referring to working Moms who don't make the time to fix healthy meals for their families. Many of these kids end up eating whatever "junk food" they want since their parents may not make sure they are eating right. My hat's off to you for making breakfast, lunch, & dinner.

I don't know what the bad news was you received, but, I hope things work out for your ex-coworker.

[cgallery]

I work almost 40 hours a week...I also will make dinner for everyone and I make lunches for school...When I get off in the mornings and Mark has to work I hurry home so that I can make his breakfast and lunch and I make sure that I have things for dinner.

My gosh, when do you sleep?

In all seriousness, I do hope you get a chance to take some time for yourself and unwind. That kind of schedule can be **** on your body, esp. your immune system.

[Black wallnut]

I don't think you need to apologize for anything. I think Ed was probably referring to working Moms who don't make the time to fix healthy meals for their families. Many of these kids end up eating whatever "junk food" they want since their parents may not make sure they are eating right. My hat's off to you for making breakfast, lunch, & dinner.

I don't know what the bad news was you received, but, I hope things work out for your ex-coworker.

Well let's just say that her former co-worker's worries are over for ever! She dropped dead of a blood clot. her husband died a diabetic's (sp?) death about a year and a half ago. She herself was over weight.

My gosh, when do you sleep?

In all seriousness, I do hope you get a chance to take some time for yourself and unwind. That kind of schedule can be **** on your body, esp. your immune system.

She does not get enough rest! I worry about her. We live between a rock and a hard spot; hopefully things will improve in the near future. We both have weight issues. Mine is mostly due to lack of exercise. Her's is probably genetic among other causes. All that said as withmost that live in this country our diet could use some improvement.

IMHO the scope of the problem is likely not overstated but the effects that it will or could cause may be. The cure is not an easy road. legislation is not the answer. Education may not be the answer either.

[jking]

Well let's just say that her former co-worker's worries are over for ever! She dropped dead of a blood clot.

Wow, I'm really sorry. I feel kind of stupid now.

[Black wallnut]

Wow, I'm really sorry. I feel kind of stupid now.

There was no way you could have known. No need IMHO for you to feel stupid. LOML and I are on oppisite ends of how death effects us. She, being a girl gets real emotional, I on the other hand seem to take it mostly in stride. Close relatives (mine) and dogs being an exception!

[JeffG78]

When I was a kid, we were constantly told to "go outside and play". If it was not storming, we were outside playing baseball, football, or riding our bikes all over. The township was filled with kids running amok. Now that I'm in my forties, I see very few kids outside playing. From what I can tell, kids today play more organized sports than we did as kids, but those might only add up to a few hours a week of real exercise. We got home from school, changed into our play clothes and went outside. We came back in when it got too dark to see. Now kids get home and play video games, watch TV, or play on the internet. Part of it might be that parents are more aware of "dangers" out there and want to keep a close eye on their children. We never worried about those things and rarely gave any indication as to where we would be playing or when we would return home. While in school, recess was the same story - We played tackle football, or played baseball or whatever, but we were always getting lots of exercise. Since my wife and I have no children, I'm not sure what today's kids do while on the school playground, but I can't imagine that they get all sweaty and muddy like we did every day.

As far as diet, I ate plenty of crap as a kid (not much fast food since it wasn't as available), but I burned off WAY more calories than most kids do today. Sitting down after school and watching TV just didn't happen.

As an adult, I'm still "healthy" according to BMI, but I feel fat and out of shape due to sitting on my butt all day at my desk. I long for the days of running around and having endless energy.

[HarmsWay]

I think part of the problem is many people don't think about food and activity as energy in and energy out. Every time you put 3 units in and only use 2, the other 1 gets stored for later. I realize that's a gross over simplification - but basically true nonetheless.

When I was much younger, I remember my brother and I coming home from Thursday night track practice. Every week, mom would have a big (18"x12") chocolate cake with nice fatty icing waiting for us. We'd eat all but one short row complete with hot chocolate sauce and split a 2 pint carton of ice cream. We were both skinny then. I'm skinny now but could I eat like that? Of course not. Is it because I'm almost 50 instead of 15? No, not directly. I'm just not as active.

[JimD]

I am 6' 2 1/2 inches. According to the BMI, I need to weigh under 200 lbs to be "normal". I weigh 195 so I guess according to BMI I am OK. I do 50 pushups, 50 situps, 50 deep knee bends, and 100 toe lifts 3 times a week. It takes me less than 15 minutes. I weighed about 210 before I started my little workout routine. I noticed after doing situps for awhile that I felt full on smaller meals. I don't think your gut can stick out and your stomach get huge if your abdominal muscles are in shape. My back also does not hurt now. Cheaper than gastric bypass. I have very few sweets, most days no more than the m&ms in my trail mix snack, but otherwise do not intensionally limit my food intake.

I do not think BMI is a very good indicator of fat level, however. Anything that rates women the same as men is suspect to me. Anything that ignores body build is suspect. When I was 200 lbs, I was overweight by BMI but my waist to hips ratio was .9. Some believe this ratio is a better indicator of health than the BMI. Over 1.0 is overweight by waist to hips if I remember right. I was doing the same exercises at this weight, I just had not been doing them for as long. I do not think my fat level was really all that high, I doubt there are many people my age (I'm almost 52) still doing my exercise routine. I do it both to lose weight but more importantly so I can still do something. I got tired of being totally sore all week if I did a little work on the weekend. The exercises hurt a little but then I do not hurt from all the normal stuff. I will take the trade. I added the deep knee bends after my knees hurt from just walking a few miles. I added the toe lifts when my calves hurt from going up and down stairs. When my muscles are reasonably in shape, my weight is lower and my body does not hurt from normal activity (I consider carrying sheets of plywood and bags of concrete normal activity). I don't think I'm in great shape but I think I'm fairly strong for someone my age. I'm stronger than my 25 year old son (who is taller but pretty skinny).

Another reason I watch my weight some and exercise is to avoid being like my dad. He is still with us but barely. His heart is bad and he has diabetes. He is a little under 6 feet and was 180lbs or more most of his life but on a small frame. By the time he was fifty his back hurt most of the time and he couldn't so much heavy lifting. I do not want to be that way.

I have a lot more trouble not eating more than I really need at work than I do at home. At work, I sit at a desk or a computer or in a meeting all day. I don't need to eat much but I think I eat because of nervous energy. At home I am more relaxed so even though I do more strenuous things, I normally eat less. I think a lot of people eat because of nerves rather than hunger.

Jim